I notice from watching videos, that some breast reduction patients can take a shower in a day or two after surgery and some others are made to wait for a week. This must be uncomfortable for people who need showers every day. I know this has to do with bacteria carried in water and that it could be a threat to someone with a recent surgery. Is it true that warm tap water carries more bacteria than cold tap water? Is there any way that a shower in cold water could keep you more safe than a hot shower?
Answer: Shower after surgery Thank you for your question. The first two days after surgery it is important to keep the incision area dry. Many patients sponge bath during this time, avoiding the areas of incision. By day 2 post op, you can take brief, quick showers remembering to not allow the water to spray directly on the incisions.Best regards,Dr. Lane F. Smith, MDPlastic SurgeonLas Vegas, NV
Helpful
Book a virtual consultation
CONTACT NOW Answer: Shower after surgery Thank you for your question. The first two days after surgery it is important to keep the incision area dry. Many patients sponge bath during this time, avoiding the areas of incision. By day 2 post op, you can take brief, quick showers remembering to not allow the water to spray directly on the incisions.Best regards,Dr. Lane F. Smith, MDPlastic SurgeonLas Vegas, NV
Helpful
Book a virtual consultation
CONTACT NOW April 7, 2015
Answer: Is it okay to shower in cold water during the days after a Breast Reduction? As you can see from the varying
Helpful
April 7, 2015
Answer: Is it okay to shower in cold water during the days after a Breast Reduction? As you can see from the varying
Helpful
March 10, 2015
Answer: Showering after surgery. When to shower after surgery is a great debate. The only time I really only ever consider having someone cover their incisions while showering after surgery for the first couple of days is if they have well water and they have an implant in place (eg breast reconstruction or augmentation). In general, I allow my patients to shower at 24 hours, but avoid actual soaking in a tub or pool for 2-3 weeks after surgery. In theory your incisions should be "water tight" from early healing about 48 hours out, so your risk of infection from the actual water you are bathing in is minimal. I have not in my recollection had or ever seen a patient who has developed an infection attributed to bathing. Most infections are due to other factors such as the bacteria that live all over your skin.
Helpful
March 10, 2015
Answer: Showering after surgery. When to shower after surgery is a great debate. The only time I really only ever consider having someone cover their incisions while showering after surgery for the first couple of days is if they have well water and they have an implant in place (eg breast reconstruction or augmentation). In general, I allow my patients to shower at 24 hours, but avoid actual soaking in a tub or pool for 2-3 weeks after surgery. In theory your incisions should be "water tight" from early healing about 48 hours out, so your risk of infection from the actual water you are bathing in is minimal. I have not in my recollection had or ever seen a patient who has developed an infection attributed to bathing. Most infections are due to other factors such as the bacteria that live all over your skin.
Helpful
FIND THE RIGHT
TREATMENT FOR YOU
March 4, 2015
Answer: Cold water shower after breast reduction. Actually there are no harmful bacteria in your water, and cold water showering after breast reduction is not necessary. In our practice we tend to feel soap and water never hurt anything and allow our patients to shower immediately after. You shuld be safe to do so as well.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
March 4, 2015
Answer: Cold water shower after breast reduction. Actually there are no harmful bacteria in your water, and cold water showering after breast reduction is not necessary. In our practice we tend to feel soap and water never hurt anything and allow our patients to shower immediately after. You shuld be safe to do so as well.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
October 17, 2019
Answer: I don't think showering in cold water is necessary Typically, in a well approximated surgical wound the epithelium, or top-most layer of skin, will grow over the wound and create a seal with new cells within 24 hours, so it is not unusual for some surgeons to allow their patients to shower the next day after surgery, especially if they have had a procedure like a breast reduction without implants being put in. However, some surgeons also take a more conservative approach and recommend that their patients wait a few days longer than that to be on the safe side. I think a week is way too conservative in my opinion. In any regard, within the range of temperatures of human tolerance, both hot and cold, the bacterial count in clean, municipally supplied water will vary little, and I think you would be exposed to the same counts with either cold or hot showers. I also think that one of the drawbacks of hot showers is that the heat liquifies and washes off the oils on our skin which are essential to both moisturizing the skin and maintaining the protective barrier as well as fighting bacteria directly. Thus, if you really want to be safe, even in everyday situations, a tepid or slightly warm shower is always best. I don't think you need to torture yourself with a cold shower. As for timing, you'll have to ask your surgeon about his or her recommendations on that. I personally allow my patients with whom I have no worries about their wounds after their first postop day visit to shower beginning that evening, that is, the evening after their surgery. I have had no problems with wound infections over many years of doing this. That's running water only though. I don't want them actually soaking or immersing their wounds in standing water, like bathtubs, swimming pools, jacuzzi's, or lakes/ponds/ocean, at least until all wounds are totally healed and all crusts and scabs are gone. This is typically 10 days to 2 weeks. Again, check with your own surgeon on his or her recommendations before you do any of this. Good luck.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
October 17, 2019
Answer: I don't think showering in cold water is necessary Typically, in a well approximated surgical wound the epithelium, or top-most layer of skin, will grow over the wound and create a seal with new cells within 24 hours, so it is not unusual for some surgeons to allow their patients to shower the next day after surgery, especially if they have had a procedure like a breast reduction without implants being put in. However, some surgeons also take a more conservative approach and recommend that their patients wait a few days longer than that to be on the safe side. I think a week is way too conservative in my opinion. In any regard, within the range of temperatures of human tolerance, both hot and cold, the bacterial count in clean, municipally supplied water will vary little, and I think you would be exposed to the same counts with either cold or hot showers. I also think that one of the drawbacks of hot showers is that the heat liquifies and washes off the oils on our skin which are essential to both moisturizing the skin and maintaining the protective barrier as well as fighting bacteria directly. Thus, if you really want to be safe, even in everyday situations, a tepid or slightly warm shower is always best. I don't think you need to torture yourself with a cold shower. As for timing, you'll have to ask your surgeon about his or her recommendations on that. I personally allow my patients with whom I have no worries about their wounds after their first postop day visit to shower beginning that evening, that is, the evening after their surgery. I have had no problems with wound infections over many years of doing this. That's running water only though. I don't want them actually soaking or immersing their wounds in standing water, like bathtubs, swimming pools, jacuzzi's, or lakes/ponds/ocean, at least until all wounds are totally healed and all crusts and scabs are gone. This is typically 10 days to 2 weeks. Again, check with your own surgeon on his or her recommendations before you do any of this. Good luck.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
